APHIS employees located at the United States Embassy in each country where our area offices reside, in conjunction with our colleagues at the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) also on-site, represent the interests of the USDA and country residents.

About APHIS

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is a multifaceted Agency with a broad mission area that includes protecting and promoting U.S. agricultural health, regulating genetically engineered organisms, administering the Animal Welfare Act and carrying out wildlife damage management activities. These efforts support the overall mission of USDA, which is to protect and promote food, agriculture, natural resources and related issues. Our overseas activities where our offices reside include ensuring that existing trade between the two economies flows smoothly. Our area offices maintain technical working relationships with respective country counterparts to resolve Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) issues wherever they arise. This relationship contributes to maintaining the success of agricultural trade-related commercial activities between our economies and helps ensure they thrive. In addition, our office maintains direct contact with industry trade groups and importers and exporters in order to assist in and facilitate resolution of trade-related issues at country ports of entry. Finally, the principle role of APHIS is to make sure the United States and our trading partners adhere to the SPS rules set forth by the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as the other relevant international standards-setting organizations.